'Be kind to the person behind the wheel': Yeo Wan Ling on respecting taxi, PHV drivers

Passengers in taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV) should be respectful and treat their drivers kindly, said NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Yeo Wan Ling in a reminder for the current festive season.

Yeo, who also serves as advisor to the National Taxi Association (NTA) and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), uploaded a Facebook post on Wednesday (Dec 24), where she emphasised the importance of taking responsibility and compensating drivers fairly.

In particular, she spoke about passengers who vomited in taxis and PHVs and subsequently refused to pay for cleaning, with some even reacting rudely or abusively to drivers.

"This causes real hardship. When a vehicle is soiled, drivers may have to pay out of pocket for cleaning and lose precious hours of income," she explained, adding that NTA and NPHVA have been negotiating with taxi and platform companies to charge passengers directly for cleaning fees and reimburse drivers.

Yeo also warned passengers against evading fares, saying that convicted first-time offenders will face fines of up to $1,000.

Repeat offenders will be liable to heavier penalties, including a maximum fine of $2,000 or a jail term of up to 6 months.

Additionally, she reminded passengers that behaving in a hostile manner towards drivers will result in strict disciplinary action.

Taxi and PHV drivers are protected under the Protection from Harassment Act, and will be supported by NTA and NPHVA in event of any abuse or threats.

Yeo said: "Our drivers work hard to get everyone to their destinations safely. They deserve to be paid fairly and treated with dignity.

"So please, pay your fares, take care of the vehicle, and be kind to the person behind the wheel."

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dana.leong@asiaone.com